And just whom do I support now?

Kimi Raikkonen is leaving McLaren to join the Prancing Horse next year. Yes, it's a tactical coup for Ferrari and yes, it's a smart career move for Raikkonen. But as far as I'm concerned, it's devastating news.

For years I've been supporting the McLaren team, following their fortunes through thick and thin. I've stood by them through the glory years of Mika Hakkinen, the frustratingly inconsistent MP4-18 season and the MP4-21 resurgence. No matter what the outcome, my loyalty to the team has always been unwavering. Like all genteel folk, I denounced Ferrari and their backhanded attempts at dictating the federation. And McLaren, like the perennial good guys, have always been there as the only team to consistently challenge the Ferrari hegemony. Plus they always seem to have the coolest Finnish drivers. None cooler than Kimi Raikkonen.

Raikkonen in so many ways is the natural successor to Hakkinen. He has the nerves of steel, the funny accent, boyish charm and bucketloads of talent. Add a dash of bravado in the mix and you have the perfect racecar driver (anyone who's seen the 2005 Japanese GP can attest to that). How can one not like Kimi? He is the Freddie Flintoff of Formula-1. And surely, everybody likes Freddie.

But now Kimi's gone and joined the dark side. What am I to do now? Do I suddenly start hating Raikkonen? Or do I now support Ferrari? And what about McLaren? Do I just dump them by the roadside? Stab them in the back, so to say. Not easy questions to answer, my friend. Not for anyone.